till the next day, when Letitia received from him the following letter. 'Miss, I might say most ungrateful niece, but I leave to your conscience how far you deserve that epithet. My kindness to you I find receives no return but contempt and the meanest insolence. I have nothing more to say to you but to require that both you and Mrs. Graham leave my house immediately: I cannot come into it till you are out of it. Inclosed I send you a hundred pound note, which is the last supply you must expect to receive from your insulted uncle.' Letitia, heart-broken at thus, by her own folly, having lost the love and protection of so generous a relative, and having ruined all her fair prospect of future fortune, was obliged to comply with this severe command. When, after many fruitless attempts to gain admission to her offended uncle, she had succeeded, she found it impossible to move him from his fixed purpose of discarding her. At length, indeed, when he had been informed, and found it true, that she had been led into this gross impropriety of conduct by the example of Mrs. Graham, whom he had given her as a companion, he so far relented as to make her a present of a thousand pounds; but he could not be prevailed upon to take her again into favour, or indeed, except by accident, ever to see her again. Zoology, you may perhaps contribute to dispel the superstitious fears of some persons of confined knowledge; at any rate you will oblige a constant reader and occasional corDoncaster, March 3. ELEANOR M→→→→→ respondent. Among the popular superstitions, which the almost general illumina tion of modern times has not been able to obliterate, the dread of the death watch may well be considered as one of the most prominent, and still continues to disturb the habitations of rural tranquillity with groundIt is not, indeed, to be imagined that less fears and absurd apprehensions. they who are engaged in the more important cares of providing the immediate necessaries of life should have either leisure or inclination to investigate with philosophic exactness the causes of a particular sound: yet it must be allowed to be a very singular circumstance, that an ani mal so common should not be more universally understood. It is chiefly in the advanced state of spring that its sound, which is no other than the this alarming little animal commences call, or signal, by which the male and female are led to each other, and which may be considered as analogons to the call of birds; though not owing to the voice of the insect, but to its beating on any hard substance with the shield or fore-part of its The prevailing number of distinct strokes which it beats is from seven to nine or eleven; which very circumstance may, perhaps, still add, head. To the EDITOR of the LADY's in some degree, to the ominous cha Sir. MAGAZINE. BY inserting the following account of the insect called by naturalists ptinus fatidicus, and by the vulgar the death watch, extracted from the sixth volume of Dr. Shaw's General racter which it bears among the vulgar. These sounds, or beats, are given in pretty quick succession, and are repeated at uncertain intervals; and in old houses, where the insects are numerous, may be heard at almost every hour of the day, es 124 pecially if the weather be warm. 1 logists. In the twelfth edition of the We must be careful not to con- I cannot conclude this slight account of the death watch without quoting a sentence from that cele CHARACTERS. LOOK at that lady who is walking with three others: she is at the.. right hand; her beauty is showy; she talks loud and laughs loud: if she had less colour, she would look less glaring, as it spreads too far over her countenance, and ill be comes the nose. Elvira is a young lady of a very diffident air: her dress is studied, her looks reserved: if her eyes wander from the ground, they fall upon her own dress. She speaks little, and the tone is not pleasing that proceeds from a screwed lip. Flora has a graceful figure, but her tongue is flippant. Her eyes are full, dark, and sparkling; but they Her express a malignant mind. eyebrows are beautifully arched, but she contracts them into a haughty frown. Her lips are red and liquid, but smiles are never seen to revel round them. Her complexion resembles the fily and the rose, but it is artificial. Mary is lively and engaging: she possesses the friendship of many, and she seeks the love and confidence of every one; but beware ye who confide in her. In reality she is artful and perfidious; for where she cures one wound in the breast of the afflicted, she inflicts others more deep and lasting. ELIZABETH YEAMES, HARRIET VERNON; OR, him the true reason,' said I: 'it would be rather an awkward thing I am CHARACTERS FROM REAL LIFE. to say-Sir, I am afraid of you; A NOVEL, In a Series of Letters. BY A LADY. (Continued from p. 69.) LETTER VII. Miss Harrict Vernon to Miss West. I HAVE so much to say to my good friend that I can scarcely afford time to thank her for her letter just received, much less to answer it, except to say that I can have no objection for your good mother to see all I write, and shall think myself happy if I can contribute to her entertainment, This colonel, my dear, indeed he is a prince of a man; this letter will let you into his character. He has now been with us ten days, but has taken lodgings at the west end of the town, to which he removes tomorrow, most heartily disgusted, 1 believe, with our brother's society, He says, however, he shall give us his company very often, and hopes that, as soon as he is settled and has got his sister with him, we shall fayour him with our visits. Two or three days after my last letter. Maria and I were sent masquerade dresses with tickets, and a note from the colonel, requesting that we would accompany him, Maria did not approve accepting the offer; and what do you think was her objection? Why, truly, she was afraid we should be run away with. Run away with two nymphs at a time! did you ever hear of such a circumstance? Well, I acquiesced, though it cost me a deep sigh.But what were we to say to the colonel ?—' I suppose you won't tell VOL. XXXVIII. afraid you will run away with me.' 'I will manage it,' said she; and if he is the man I take him to be, he will not think the worse of us for our refusal.' The colonel came in, and addressing himself to Maria, asked her if she had received a box and a short note. Yes, sir,' she replied; and we are much obliged for both.' The obligation will be all on my side, miss Vernon, if you and your sister will honour me with your company." "You are very obliging, indeed, sir, and I hope you will accept our best thanks; but we must beg leave to decline the favour you intended us. I know my brother would not approve it; and as we have never been accustomed to appear in public, we are cowards. I own for my part, nothing terrifies me so much as a crowd.' That can be no objection,' said the colonel; you will be quite secure from fright or inconvenience under my protection, and I doubt not that I shall be able to prevail on your brother to give his consent, and perhaps we may prevail with him to be of our party.' Seeing Maria at a loss for an answer, I thought I would help her out; but I might as well have been silent. "I am not satisfied with your excuses, young ladies; there is not one of them has the least weight. Permit me to say your objections are vanished.' friendship and confidence I am ambitious of: although our acquaintance is short, I have seen enough to convince me I cannot contract a more amiable one, and I hope to make my No, sir,' said Maria, with a self in some measure worthy of it.' grave countenance, our excuses, perhaps, are not powerful, but such as they are, if you will accept them you will highly oblige us.' You know there is something very decisive in Maria's manner, with a persuasive sweetness. Not another word will I say to urge my wish,' said he; it is sufficient for me it is not yours.' Maria dropt a curtsey, and gave him a look of inexpressible sweetness. Dinner-time arriving, we were surprised at not seeing our brother. Mr. Wentworth came in. We enquired of him, and he informed us he was gone to dine with a friend: I have just parted with him, and be desired me to say he should not be home til bed-time.'' Very polite, thought I. Sir,' said Maria, I am very sorry for my brother's absence; I dare say he was particularly engaged,' No apology, my dear miss Vernon: it is, I believe, out of your power or mine to account for your brother's actions.' His countenance shone with unusual gaiety, and I could plainly perceive he was not a little pleased at the circumstance, and I can truly say it was the most comfortable meal I ever sat down to in this house. Dorcas waited; and the colonel, all ease and good humour, condescended to notice the good creature in a manner highly pleasing. After dinner Mr. Wentworth (who I observed was particularly low and absent) with drew to business, and the colonel taking a chair, placed it between us, and seated himself. Now,' said he, I have the opportunity I wished for of being alone with the two miss -Vernons. To be admitted into your Ah! sir,' said Maria-a tear standing an her eye-'we have no friend or protector but our brother: to him are we indebted for the easy circumstances you see us in. We lost our parents early in life: our brother put us to a school in a small village, where we were brought up. with a care and attention by the mistress not exceeding that of her own daughter: nothing but her great love for us both could have induced her to have kept us till the age of sixteen; for the small sum my brother allowed must have been insufficient, though she will not acknowledge it. At that age my brother took me home to keep his house, and three years after my sister. We have lived with him ever since; but I have always thought our continuance uncertain, for on every slight occasion he threatens to part with, us, and often. But why should I say more? it is unbecoming in me to hint at defects in my brother.' She ceased, and never did I see Maria look so lovely. She could scarcely restrain her tears, and it was with difficulty I could mine. The colonel took a hand of cach, and said, with emotion- Charming sisters! your short story has affected me; it would interest me in your favour independent of any other consideration: from this nioment consider me as your friend, protector, and brother. Never will I lose sight of your interest; and let me intreat you to dismiss all fears as to your brother's continuance of his favours, as it will at any time be in my power to make up his deficiencies -But we are grave, and that I will not allow.' I was going to reply. If you are going, miss Harriet, to answer what I have been saying, I impose silence.' Indeed, sir,' said I, 'I was going to attempt an answer; but as it must not be, I will take the liberty of asking you a question.-Pray, sir, how came you acquainted with our brother?' As you have been so obliging to acquaint me with your history,' said the colonel, 'I will give you mine, if you think it worth your attention.' You cannot oblige us more,' said Maria. The colonel then began.My father was a clergyman in the west of England, possessed of a living of two hundred a year, and a small paternal estate, not more than fifty pounds a year. He married a young woman for love, her dower being only an agreeable person, a sensible mind, and a sweet temper. My father, I believe, always thought himself rich in the possession of his tovely wife; but, alas! his happiness continued only six years: she died, and left a daughter four years old, and myself one year. My father devoted all the time he could spare from his parochial duties to the care and education of his two children-precious pledges would he often call us of his dear Lucy, whose, memory he revered, and whose loss he deplored in a manner becoming the true Christian. He was a very learned as well as a sensible man, and under such a preceptor I could not fail of making a progress in useful knowledge: my sister, also, received from him an education superior to what is usually bestowed on her sex; and being of an amiable disposition added charms to that learning without which it fails to please in your sex. I very early imbibed a turn for the army. Every military book I met with was perused How with avidity; and when very young When the time arrived that I |